Clip



Feb. s, 1949.

R; L. RANK CLIP Filed Feb. 21, 1944 Patented Feb. 8, 1949 UNITED STATESPATENT 7 Claims.

The present invention relates to a clip. More particularly, it comprisesa snap-action clip for holding material.

The clip is capable of general use but it is particularly desirable inconnection with catamenial pads.

Among the objects of the invention is the provision of a clip of thekind which has a springllke clamping action which has no outstandingedges that could provide either discomfort or something to causeaccidental opening.

Particular objects include the provision of a clip of this kind having aminimum number of parts, each of which is capable of inexpensivemanufacture and which may be assembled inexpensively to provide a sturdydevice.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front view of the clip;

Fig. 2 is a side view thereof in closed position;

Fig. 3 is a back view of the clip;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1 withthe clip closed;

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are sections similar to Fig. 4 but showing the clip invarying degrees of closure; and

Fig. 8 is a transverse section on the line 8-8 of Fig.,3.

The clip comprises three portions consisting of a front member I0, aback member II and a latch member I2. The design is such that each ofthese members may be made from a stamping or a molding.

The front member I has side flanges I3 and I4 and a top flange I that isbent out at I6 to provide a strap-receiving ear having a slot Iii'therein.

The front member I0 in its main body portion has a longitudinal channelII therein, at the top part of which there is a slot I8. This slot has alower edge I9 for a purpose to be described.

At the upper part of the two flanges I3 and I4 are bosses 20 and 2| thatare struck inwardly, as is more particularly shown in Fig. 8.

The lower part of the front member Ill has clamping prongs 22 struckbackwardly therefrom.

The back member II is bifurcated by a slot 25 and formed with two arms25a and 25h. The upper ends of these arms or forks are bent over at 26so that they may engage around the bosses and 2|. A slight deformationof the parts permits the back member II to be snapped into position overthe bosses 20 and 2I where it will remain securely held. It will beobserved from Fig. 6 that one of the overturned ends of the member II,shown at 21, is narroweddown to frontV member I0.

2 be more flexible, is extended to lie along the front member Iii, andis preset to an angle, relative to the back` member (see Fig. 7), thatcauses it to act as a spring urging the two members I0 and II to openposition. Y K

The inner walls of the slot 25 in the member II are provided with twoextensions Zilintegral therewith that are adapted to receive thelatching member I2. The lower partY of the memberrII has clamping prongs2S struck toward the front member Ii) therefrom and preferably has aslot 3G to be disposed opposite the prongs 22 on the member I0.

The latching member I2 comprises'a relatively narrow strip-like piece ofmaterial fashioned into a tongue 35 adapted to Apass through the slot I8and to close down into the depression Il in the The back part of thelatch member I2 is bent upon itself at 38 and then is bent around againto provide a tubular or loop portion 3l that may engage over .the twoextensions 28 projecting outwardly from the walls of the slot in theback member I I. By reference to Fig. 3, it will be seen that the widthof the latch member decreases somewhat at 39 near ythe extensions 28.

yThe device is assembled as follows:

First the latch member I2 is secured on to the extensions 28 of the backmember II. This is readily accomplished by warping one of the arms ofthe bifurcated portion out of the plane of the other, whereupon the twoextensions may Abe engaged in the tubular portion 31. As the member I Isprings back to its normal shape, the latch member I2 will be securelyheld.

The tongue 35 of the latch member is then inserted through the slot I8of the front member I0. The upper part 26 of the back member II may thenbe snapped into position over the bosses 20 and 2 I, by the yielding ofthe flanges I3 and I4, and of the arms of the back member II. In thisinsertion, the member II will be slightly angularly disposed relative tothe member I0, but the cut-back portion 39 on the latch member permitsit to wobble slightly on the extensions 28 to accommodate this angulardisposition. After the parts are thus assembled, the latch member, whenclosed, interposes its wider part within the slot 25 to spread thebifurcations and spring them outwardly, adding to their normal spring tohold them over the bosses 2Iland 2 I.

When the device is thus assembled, it operates as follows: Y

In the opening position shown in Fig. 7, theA material is insertedbetween the front member I0 and the back member l I. It will be seenthat the bottom wall I9 of the slot i8 is disposed so that a downwardforce applied to the end of the tongue 35 of the latch member will tendto close the front l0 toward the back member ll, owing to thedisposition of the bend 35 above the pivots provided by the extensions28. When the parts of the clip reach `the position of Fig. 6 they aresubstantially closed. Further depression of the tongue 35 will draw themtightly together, clamping the material between them. n the closingaction, one of the overturned ends of the back member Il, shown at 2l,applies an opening force which is overcome by the latching operation. Asthe tongue 35 is depressed from the .position of Fig. 6 to the positionof Fig. 5, the 'Wall 'I'Q 'of the slot IS causes a spreading ofthetongue 35 `:away from the loop 37 by bending about the ,portion 36 whichis displaced from the loop to permit such action. When an overcenterpoint is reached, thereafter V`the tongue '35 Iwill readily 'move downinto the depression l' 'oi the iront member l 0 with lessthanthemaximum-deiorma tion of the latch member I 2, so that the same will holdtightly, the latter 'being made possible by A'having the Wall I9 relatedto the pivot 2'6 `as is lclearlyshown inthedrawing.

When the device 'i-'s `iclosed, it will be seen ythat there are noVoutstanding parts that could 'cause 'accidental opening. JHowever, thebottom end of gthe tongue-:35 'may 'be vreadily llifted for openingpurposes. It will also Ybe observed that any force applied from the backagainst the latch member tends to close the same and applies `avresistance toopening thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. In a clip, Aa front memberhaving-side 4'flanges thereon,oppositelydisposed pivot portions on -the said ange members, a backmember having lseparated bent vsections snapped `over the pivot portionson the front member, latch 'means to, draw the two portions together lin'clamping 're- Ala`tionship,'saif`l latch means `comprising a latchdevice ipivotally 'attached to one Vof said members uand extendingthrough the other member, there being a slot in the front .portionthrough which the latch means extends, the said slot V`having a vwalldisposed slightly toward the :pivot between the front and back portionsfrom the pivot Voi lthe latch member 'onthe back 'in ember,` whereby thelatch member 'may engage 'said Vedge to be Vclosed with an over-centeraction.

2. In 'a clip, 'a front member having said via'nges slightly yieldableoutwardly rand Tportions op- Vpositely disposed'upon the side ilanges'toprovide a 'pivot means, a'bifurcated back member Thaving forks bent attheir ends 'and adapted to 'be snapped over said pivot means forattaching the back member pivotally'with the front member, said forks ofsaid back member having .projections extending toward each other, alatch 'member comprising a .unitary strip bent 'in the form of a Uhaving one of its arms'termin'ating Ain a loop and the other form-ing atongue 4extend- Y between the forks whereby tolspread them-outwardly,vthe tongue of the fiatch member being adapted to extend through thefront member, an edge on the front member disposed nearer the pivotportions of the front member than the projections engaging the loop ofthe latch, whereby the tongue may be forced downwardly over said edgeand by such movement be spread a greater distance initially than at theend of said movement whereby to hold the clip in closed position. Y

3. In a clip, affront member having side flanges slightly vyieldabl'eoutwardly 'and portions oppositely disposed upon the side flanges toprovide 'a pivot means, a bifurcated back member having forks bent attheir ends and adapted to be -snapped over said pivot means forattaching the 'back member pivotally with the front member, said forksof said Yback member having projections extending toward each other, alatch member comprising a unitary strip bent in the form of a U havingone of its arms terminating in a loop and the other for-ming a 'tongueextending beyond 'the loop, said loop being 'engageable over theprojections on the forks of the lback member, vthe loop portion beingnarrower than the space `between the forks to permit said forlks toyield toward one another ier engagement of theirben't ends over-thepivot portions on the frontmember, the outwardly Yprojecting part vof`the latch'member being as Wide as the space between the forks wherebyto spread them outwardly, the tongue oi' the latch member being adapted'to V4extend through the front member, an -edge :on 'the 'front memberdisposed nearer the pivot portion of the front member than theprojections engaging the loop oi the lat-ch, whereby the tonguema'y beforced downwardly over said edge and-by 'such movement be spread agreater kdistance before the end of its Vmovement than at the end of itsmovement whereby it holds itself lin close position, said front memberhaving avdepressed portion to receive the latch member.

4. In a clip, a iront member, Aa back member, a llatch member, saidrontmember having faiznain 'bodyrwith atransverse slot therein andfin'cluding side anges having opposed pivot bosses, said 'back 'memberibei'ng 'bifurcated and including Ytwo arms bent back upon themselves,eacharm in cluding a lateral extension, said back member 'engaging loverjthe pivot bosses :at the bend 1in pivotal relationship, saitllatchmemberfcompris- Ying a Lresilient 'strap bent "back `upon itself andincluding a looped end pivotally Iengaging said lateral extensions, theother end of said latch memb er extending vthrough the ltransversejslot'in said front membera'nd engagingthe :edgeithereo'f remote .from thepivot bosses of said front vrn'ember, the 'relationship `of said remoteedge, said pivot bosses and said lpivot lateral extensions being suchthat 'ano'vereenter action obtains b'etween saidlatch 'member 'and saidremote edge to provide a Vlatching and holding -aotion and a releaseaction, andopposed clamping prongs near the free ends ci said lfront'and back members f adapted to rest'ad'iacenteach other when'sai'd clip.is in 'latchedposition and tob'e remote from'ea'ch other when Said-clip is in unlatohedposition.

5. In a clip, a 'front member, -a'back memben `alatclfl member, each ofsaid three members comprising a vformed stamping, said front memberhaving-a mainbody witha transverse slot therein and including side-iianges having oppose'dipivot bosses, said :back member :beingbifuroated `and including `two arms -bent back upon themselves,eachfarmincludinga lateral extension, saidback member engaging over thepivot bosses at the bend in pivotal relationship, said latch membercomprising a resilient strap bent back upon itself and including alooped end pivotally engaging said lateral extensions, the other end ofsaid latch member extending through the transverse slot in said frontmember and engaging the edge thereof remote from the pivot bosses ofsaid front member, the relationship of said remote edge, said pivotbosses and said pivot lateral extensions being such that an overcenteraction obtains between said latch member and said remote edge to providea latching and holding action and a release action, and opposed clampingprongs near the free ends of said front and back members adapted to restadjacent each other when said clip is in latched position and to beremote from each other when said clip is in unlatched position.

6. In a clip, a front member, a back member having separated bentsections, means pivotally supporting said back member on said frontmember and engaging said separated bent sections, latch means to drawthe two portions together in clamping relationship, said latch meanscomprising a latch device pivotally attached to one of said members andextending through the other member, there being a slot in the frontportion through which the latch means extends, the said slot having awall disposed slightly toward the pivot between the front and backportions from the pivot of the latch member on the back member, wherebythe latch member may engage said edge to be closed with an over-centeraction.

7. In a clip, a front member, a back member, a latch member, said frontmember having a main body with a transverse slot therein and includingside flanges, said back member being bifurcated 6 and including two armsbent back upon themselves, each arm including a lateral extension,

means associated with the side flanges of said front member andpivotally engaged by the backY member at the bend of its two arms, saidlatch member comprising a resilient strap bent back y upon itself andincluding a looped end pivotally Y engaging said lateral extensions, theother end of said latch memberV extending through the transverse slot insaid front member and engaging the edge thereof remote from the pivotbosses of said front member, the relationship of said remote edge, saidpivot bosses and said pivot lateral extensions being such that anover-center action obtains between said latch member and said remoteedge to provide a latching and holding action and a release action, andopposed clamping prongs near the free ends of said front and backmembers adapted to rest adjacent each other when said clip is in latchedposition and to be remote from each other when said clip is in unlatchedposition.

` RICHARD L. RANK.

REFERENCES CITED` The following references are of record in the fileofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 385,330 Taylor s June 26, 1888404,023 Weld May 28, 1889 421,660 Bray et al. Feb. 18, 1890 605,219Carney June 7, 1898 617,944 Atwood Jan. 17, 1899 810,678 Rubin Jan. 23,1906 2,251,800 ,Painter Aug. 5, 1941

